The present invention relates to a printer, copier, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus and more particularly to an image forming apparatus of the type including a mechanical counter and an electronic counter.
Generally, an image forming apparatus executes an image forming sequence including the feed of a paper or similar recording medium, formation of an image on the paper, and discharge of the paper with the image to the outside of the apparatus. It is a common practice with the image forming apparatus to count consecutive image forming sequences executed or papers with images driven out of the apparatus for calculating a performance charge for, e.g., copies. A mechanical counter has traditionally been used for the above purpose. A current trend in the imaging art is toward the minute classification of the charging system by, e. g., copy mode, increasing the required number of counters for management.
However, it is difficult to increase the number of mechanical counters from the machine cost and mounting standpoint. In light of this, image forming apparatus using electronic counters implemented by NVRAMs (Non-Volatile Random Access Memories) are available on the market.
A problem with the above electronic counter or NVRAM is that data stored therein are apt to change or practically disappear due to, e.g., an electric shock, making the count unidentifiable. Another problem is that the operator cannot see the count of the electronic counter on an operation panel unless the operator turns on a power switch provided on the apparatus. To solve these problems, an electronic counter and a mechanical counter are, in many cases, used in combination. Alternatively, an electronic counter capable of holding the same value as a mechanical counter may be used in combination with the mechanical counter in order to execute processing for obtaining necessary data out of the count.
In an image forming apparatus of the type including both of an electronic counter and a mechanical counter, the counts of the two counters do not have to be coincident before actual counting, i.e., during production, test and adjustment at a factory or during adjustment at the time of delivery. However, the count of the electronic counter and that of the mechanical counter must be coincident at all times after the apparatus has started operating at the user""s station. To meet this requirement, it has been customary to provide the mechanical counter with a mechanism for resetting the counter to zero only once after the adjustment at the time of delivery. The mechanical counter is reset to zero at the same time as the electronic counter.
However, the mechanism for resetting the mechanical counter to zero is used only once. This not only wastefully sophisticates the configuration of the mechanical counter, but also increases the size and cost of the counter. Moreover, the mechanical counter and electronic counter cannot coincide with each other unless they are reset to zero at the same time by a complicated operation. Any error in the manual zero resetting operation would prevent the two counters from coinciding with each other.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 6-64637 and 8-28655 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 7-36320 and 10-91047.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of maintaining the count of a mechanical counter and that of an electronic counter thereof coincident at all times by simple control.
In accordance with the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes an operation controller for controlling an image forming sequence including the feed of a recording medium, formation of an image on the recording medium, and discharge of the recording medium to the outside of the image forming apparatus. A mechanical counter and an electronic counter each count either consecutive image forming sequences executed or recording media sequentially driven out of the apparatus. A counter controller increments the count of the mechanical counter in accordance with the count of the electronic counter.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes an operation controller for controlling an image forming sequence including the feed of a recording medium, formation an image on the recording medium, and discharge of the recording medium to the outside of the image forming apparatus. A mechanical counter and an electronic counter each counts either consecutive image forming sequences executed or recording media sequentially driven out of the apparatus. A restoration processing section restores the count of the electronic counter to zero. A counter controller increments, after the restoration processing section has restored the count of the electronic counter to zero, the mechanical counter at the same time as it increments the electronic counter.